Thursday

Contentment

I was recently talking with one of my close friends, and we were talking about being content, particularly in the area of ministry. So often, it is easy for us to look at another’s God-given “ministry,” and think that it is so much greater than the ministry that God has entrusted to us! But if your ministry is something that God has given to you, than there is nothing greater that you could ever do than to obey! Romans 12:4-8 puts it this way, "For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness." The Bible tells us that our gifts are different, but that they are "according to the grace that is given to us," God has given each one of His children specific gifts to accomplish specific tasks; and you are the only one who can accomplish what God has given you to accomplish, because you are the only one that God has given the gifts needed to accomplish those tasks!

Before our family traveled in a bus, one of my siblings made the following statement- “I would NEVER get tired of traveling in a bus!” Well, lets just say that we have never let her forget that statement! In her defense, bus life looked really glamorous- I mean, what could be better than touring the US and even Canada, and doing it in a home on wheels? But once we started living in a bus, the "rubber met the road." (No pun intended) For example, just imagine sitting innocently on your living room couch (which in our case is also located in the dining room and the kitchen) reading a book; when one of your sisters opens a cupboard (which is located above your head) to look for a hairbrush. But the contents of the cupboard have shifted due to the railroad tracks that the bus bounced over ten minutes earlier, so when the cupboard door is opened, the curling iron jumps out and bops you on the head. At which point you 1- Resist the urge to act in an un-Godly manner 2- Wonder why you chose to read at such an un-peaceful place as the living room, and 3- Wonder WHY anyone EVER invented curling irons? Oh, and the afore-mentioned hairbrush wasn't even in the cupboard, but on the bathroom counter where your sister left it! Sigh. But here is the point- if I can’t learn to be content serving God where He has placed me, then I will never be content serving Him elsewhere, either.

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Philippians 4:11

Totally unrelated to the post, but here is a picture of me holding Gideon Fikes. I love little children! (Just don't tell Gid that I called him "little"- it may be the truth, but he would be highly offended!)